Back Up Plans
by M-useless100
Summary: "That's just Zuko," Sokka says. "We're interns together." He says the words dismissively, but Katara can detect dislike in his tone. She can't help but feel the same way... Modern AU ZUTARA
1. Ain't No Other Man

**EDIT **7/5/13** I revisited this story and crazy edited it. There's some new content but it's largely the same story. There are now 7 chapters instead of 4 and Chapter 7 is ALL NEW MATERIAL. If you become confused because of the editing go ahead and skim thru ch 5. and 6. Hope you enjoy!**

_An AU Zutara story of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I don't own ATLA. REVIEWS!_

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><p>It's just another Wednesday night. Needing only the smallest reason to visit their favorite bar three best friends sit around a small table gossiping about their week.<p>

"So have you decided which guy you're choosing?" Toph's blank eyes stare in the direction of her posed question.

"Who said anything about choosing?" Suki replies with a coy smile.

"You can't string along both guys!"

"That's too mean," Katara agrees. She's not altogether surprised by her friend's behavior. She'd always taken life by both horns and done her best enjoy the ride.

"Who says they don't know about each other? The way I see it I'm embracing my right to a free market. I'm getting the best product at a competitive price."

This last outrageous remark draws an eruption of incredulous laughter from the three girls. Irritated customers shoot annoyed glances in their direction but the girls remain oblivious. "I knew that economics class would ruin you!" Katara moans. "I just thought it would turn you into a bookworm not finalize your descent into hedonism."

"Hedo-what?"

Toph sighs in exasperation. "Just because you're a pretty girl, Suki, doesn't mean that you're banned from cracking open a dictionary now and again."

Katara laughs at Toph's trademark sarcasm while Suki 'harumphs' haughtily.

"So these guys you're using. Are they wildly over-confident or just desperate?" Katara asks.

"They are neither," Suki insists defensively.

"With your track record an arrogant jerk wouldn't be too surprising, but a desperate guy? I don't know if I want to hang out with a girl who would use a guy like that."Katara's candor suprises everyone. It was no secret that she had a strong opinion about the way the world should run, but she wasn't usually so bold about it.

"I'll have you know that they are neither of those things," she insists fixing both of her friends with a cold glare, "And I wouldn't be so quick to judge Miss Future Cat Lady of America. I _was_ going to offer you one, but suddenly Toph seems a little more deserving."

"Oh please," Toph interrupts. "You and I both know I am not interested in your cast offs. I'm not even interested in your first picks."

It's Suki's turn to sigh in exasperation. "Well you can't keep dating the same person for years on end Toph. It's unnatural."

"Are we really going there again? Aang and I have been happy together for more years than you can count- though I guess that's not that impressive considering how low that is."

The last jab has Suki slamming her glass down on the table. "Why are you guys always picking on me? I am about to graduate from a prestigious four-year university. I'm going places!"

"Oh God, our future is screwed."

Katara can't stifle her laughter this time. While Suki steams in her seat the two girls erupt into uncontrollable laughter. Her cropped hair flips across her chin as she glances between the two with narrowed eyes.

"Are you making fun of-

"Suki!" a deep voice shouts above the noise of the busy bar. The table full of girls looks in the direction of the unexpected shout. Mouth still open with her unfinished question, it takes Suki a moment to resurrect her carefree persona. She rallies admirably despite her friends teasing.

"Haru!" She waves an eager hand at the dark haired man making his way over. When she hops up to go greet the first boy to show up Katara attempts to subtly check out her friend's latest endeavor.

"He's tall and broad shouldered. Oh wow, with a long ponytail. Definitely the musician type," Katara describes for Toph.

"Let me guess- hoody, blazer, skinny jeans?"

"You forgot the scarf," Katara adds with a laugh. "It works for him though."

Toph snorts derisively as she drops her head into her hands. "Unless the other guy is a troll he won't make the cut. Her last three boyfriends were-"

A swift kick in the shin interrupts Toph as the couple reaches them. Katara tries to hide her bemused smile behind her glass.

"Girls, this is Haru; Haru this is Toph and Katara."

"Nice to meet you," he offers pleasantly.

"You too," Katara says noticing the way his arm remains glued around her friend's waist.

"So. Haru." Toph pipes in giving her best imitation of a penetrating stare. "That's a great scarf." Katara snorts into her drink while Suki gives them both a dirty look.

"Uh, thanks…" he answers picking up on Suki's tension. His gaze flickers from face to face in confusion.

"And I just love how your blazer brings out your eyes. Can't you _see _it, Katara?"

"Oh yes. They definitely complement each other," she confirms.

"That's enough girls," Suki hisses without breaking the smile now plastered on her face. "Let me clarify, Haru. This is my _blind _friend Toph and my idiotic friend Katara."

"O-oh," he stammers clearly unsure on how to respond to this new information. "Cool."

Joke now spoiled, Toph leans back in her chair and belches loudly. "Sorry, Haru. Just having a little fun. But I'm sure Suki loves your blazer."

The next hour is spent in much of the same manner: Toph doing her best to bate Suki with not-so-subtle quips at Haru while Katara interjects here and there to maintain the peace. As Haru proves to be more than he appears- the only child of a single mom he's on scholarship at George Washington studying Law and sculpting in his spare time- Katara finds herself respecting the man who is all but welded to her best friend. Before she can say so, however, a familiar voice bellows through the already noisy bar.

"Suuuuki!"

"Is that-" Toph stutters unable to finish her question.

"Sokka...?" Katara finishes. She watches with a mixture of shock and horror as her older brother practically hops through the bar pushing aside people and chairs until he's leaning over her friend.

"Hello to the prettiest and most amazing girl in the room," Sokka says as he pulls Suki up and attempts to plant a kiss on her.

"Most amazing?" Katara repeats quietly.

"Smartest?" is Toph's echoe.

"Sokka!" Suki is obviously surprised. "Our date isn't supposed to start for hours."

Ever incorrigible he grins and offers a ready excuse. "Lucky for you I wanted to come say hello to my baby sister and you just happened to be with her." Katara watches the interaction with numbing shock until her brother turns to face her, at which point she rediscovers her voice.

"Y_-You're _one of Suki's desperate boyfriends?"

"I'm not desperate!" he says jumping to his own defense. "I'm just being a supportive big brother. Getting to know the people you hang out with-"

"Oh spare me, Sokka." Toph says with disdain. "I've been friends with Katara for years and we've never been such _intimate _friends."

Sokka rolls his eyes at Toph perfectly aware that she'll pick up on the dismissal despite her blindness. "That's because I was forced to baby sit you two for years. After that I knew everything I wanted to know about you."

Just as Toph and Sokka begin to get into a brawl, a heavy hand descends on Sokka's shoulder.

"You swore you'd only be in here for five minutes."

In surprise, Katara's glances in the direction of the raspy voice. She stares somewhat mesmerized unfamiliar face until she's shaken back to reality as he continues in the same husky voice. "Now we lost our cab because I had to come in and get you."

Sokka's grin freezes on his face while he sowly twists his neck to face the man gripping his shoulder. "Zuko…I,uh-"

"I'll be outside. You will be too if you know what's good for you."

With his threat still hanging in the air the stranger disappears as quickly as he'd appeared. Katara finds herself staring after him with several thoughts running through her mind. The primary being-

"Who was _that?_" Toph's question is echoed in the minds of everyone at the table.

"That's just Zuko," Sokka says. "We both work at that risk management firm up on Capital Hill." He says the words dismissively, but Katara can detect the dislike in his tone; she can't help but feel the same way.

"Well he's really going places with to those people skills of his," Toph comments.

Sokka barks one short laugh before hoisting himself up off of the table brushing his lips across the back of Suki's hand. "Until later," he promises before waving goodbye to the rest of the table. Katara watches with budding curiouslity as her friend stares after Sokka with an unreadable expression.

When the atmosphere finally settles down, a low cough draws everyone's attention to the man next to Suki. All at once, Katara and her friends realize they'd been ignoring Haru. Now, however, his frustrated presence is all too apparent.

"Haru," Suki exclaims in poorly disguised surprise. "I forgot- I mean I'm sorry about that interruption. That was just a-"

"You know what? Don't worry about it," he mutters angrily.

"Haru-" Suki pleas, trying to reason with him, but he brushes her off. Grabbing his bag he walks out of the bar and doesn't look back leaving the three girls in an awkward silence.

Toph and Katara try to look at everything except the devastated expression on their friend's face until Katara finally clears her throat and raises a glass.

"Well it's a good thing you've got a back up. I personally don't know what you see in my brother, but here's to you both."

"Cheers to that," Toph chimes in and they both knock back a shot.

Suki laughs gratefully along with her friends. Raising her own glass she adds; "And may that Zuko guy get hit by a cab on his way to work!" The girls erupt into laughter once more at Suki's toast. As their glasses clink together they slip back into the easy rhythm of give and take they'd always enjoyed.

The night draws to a close as when Katara insists that she needs to get home and to bed. Dragging her roommate, Toph, along with her she gives Suki a warm good night. "You know if I didn't have lab tomorrow I'd stay out all night with you."

"Yeah, I know. Don't study too hard 'kay, brainiac?" Suki gives her a peck on the cheek as they part at the bar exit.

"No kidding," Toph agrees as they pile into a cab. "Let's grab lunch after you get done tomorrow. I'll be on campus then."

"Okay," Katara says with a yawn. "I'll smell like cadavers though."

"On second thought," Toph teases.

Katara just laughs in response. She gives their address to the cab driver and he pulls into traffic. The girls ride off eager to be home in their small apartment.


	2. Smash Into You

The day had gotten away from her again. Between her physiology lab, a meeting with her professor and a paper to start and finish by noon Katara would have forgotten to eat lunch altogether if it hadn't been for her friend and roommate Toph. After just five minutes of waiting inside their favorite deli she'd called Katara demanding to know where she was and how-the-hell-she-could-leave-a-poor-blind-girl-to- fend-for-herself!

But the long eight and a half hours since their lunch had been filled with nothing but more work. Katara closes her eyes as she lets the familiar melody of creaking cars wheels drown out the sound of her empty stomach. Before long her mind begins sifting through the hours of information she'd gathered during the day.

_The pituitary gland is responsible for hormone secretion in the frontal lobe. It is largely responsible for..._

A beep from her phone interrupts her mental review into. She flips open the gadget to discover a text from Sokka.

_Dad told me you decided on a specialty._

_Congrats sis!_

_But trauma? Don't you think that's a little…traumatic?_

Katara rolls her eyes at her brother's typical behavior. Leave it to the guy who had once wanted more than anything to be a soldier to think her profession was traumatic.

"Um, excuse me?"

An unfamiliar voice startles Katara from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Yeah, I think that guy just took your bag."

Katara's hand immediately reaches for her backpack but the space next to her is empty. And when she turns back to thank the stranger he is gone. Strange, but she doesn't waste time dwelling on the fact.

"Hey!" Her voice echoes around the station as she scrambles after the large man a few yards away. She manages to catch up to him as he begins lumbering up the stairs.

"Hey!" she repeats. "That's my backpack!"

The man makes no reply except to turn around grab her by the arm faster than she'd expected. "It's mine now," he grunts.

As Katara fights the large hand tugging her upward she realizes intuitively that her decision to chase after the thief had been a foolish one. She has only a moment to look into his beady, black eyes before he shoves her back down the stairs. Her gasp of surprise is lost as she tumbles painfully down the dozen or so cement steps. She crashes onto the platform landing with a thud at the bottom of the stairwell.

Through her hazy vision Katara senses someone standing over her. She feels a hand on her shoulder but focuses on quelling the growing nausea in her stomach.

"I think it's time for you to hand over the bag and walk away." The deep, unfamiliar voice drifts toward Katara through her foggy mind.

"Stay outta this!"

"It's too late for that. Just hand over the bag and you can walk away. Nobody has to get hurt."

A loud scuffle begins and Katara can pick out the sounds of fists connecting with their targets. Her head finally stops spinning enough for her to open her eyes and she is greeted with an unexpected sight. The thief is at the mercy of the new stranger. Though he is smaller, his lean body appears in control. That is until the thief unexpectedly throws them both into the wall. Taking the worst of the blow the second man immediately releases his hold clutching at his shoulder. When the situation begins to look desperate Katara tries to struggle up. But the pain in her head blossoms and dizziness overcomes her until she slips quietly into unconsciousness.

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><p>The old nurse sitting behind the desk looks up in surprise when a large pair of hands slam down in front of her. The familiar sight of a man with a desperate expression hovers above her, but before she can even offer a hello he frantically speaks first.<p>

"My sister was admitted here a few hours ago. I wasn't able to get here until now because those damn trains move so slow! Where can I find Katara-"

"Sokka?"

The nurse watches as the tall man whirls around toward the young, blind girl that had been in the waiting room.

"Toph!" he shouts without a backward glance at the nurse. "Where's Katara? What happened?"

Toph offers Sokka her hand which he grabs eagerly and places it on his arm. "She's in room 236. I'll take you there." Sokka allows her to fearlessly escort him down the hospital hallway. He ignores the nurse who casts a curious glance at them. He'd gotten used to ignoring the stares of the people who underestimated Toph's capability.

"What happened?" Sokka repeats frantically.

Toph sighs tiredly. "Before they found out I wasn't immediate family and kicked me out I learned the gist of the story. She'll try to sugar coat it, but what it comes down to is that some asshole attacked her in the subway-"

"What?" he roars.

"Apparently the dumb girl had been alone down there in the middle of the night," Toph continues unaffected by Sokka's outrage. "If it hadn't been for some guy making sure she got help before chasing down the other guy she could have been in worse shape."

As the bad news floods in his mind swirls with vengeful thoughts. "Some guy?" he asks in confusion. "-Wait, are you saying they got the bastard who hurt her?"

"No. He got away after dislocating this guy's shoulder. He's just some guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time and who happened to have an interest in helping out women."

Sokka can sense Toph's distrust in whoever this unknown figure is, but right now all he cares about is finding his little sister.

"We're here," she announces before Sokka can ask further questions. She slides her arm out of his grip while he stares at the nondescript door with the numbers 236 etched onto it. He pulls open the door to discover his baby sister lying in a hospital gown. The image sends him rushing forward.

"Tara," he calls gently. "Can you hear me?"

"...Sokka?"

"Hey sis," the relief is apparent in his tone."How are you feeling?"

"Totally humiliated. I can't believe I'm lying here in the hospital I'm studying at being served jello by my coworkers! All because I chased after some criminal? I mean what was I thinking?"

"My point exactly." Sokka gives Toph an annoyed look. Her sarcasm isn't necessary right now.

"It's okay," Sokka soothes though his tense expression does little to calm her. "I'm just glad you're okay. What happened?"

"Excuse the interruption." Three pairs of eyes turn their attention to a woman dressed in scrubs and an identifying lab coat. "I'm Doctor Yue. Are you the next of kin?"

"I'm.." Sokka stares at his sister's doctor with shock. She's tall and thin with long, platinum blonde hair and even longer legs. As he looks into her blue eyes, he absentmindedly decides that she doesn't resemble any doctor he'd ever met. "Uh.."

"Are you related to Miss DelMar?" she rephrases her question politely.

"I'm Katara's brother. Her _older _brother," he quickly clarifies while he appreciates her trim figure.

"Then I have some forms for you to fill out," she replies and unceremoniously shoves a clipboard into his hands.

"Right."

He glances up from the small print on the clipboard while the doctor moves to inspect Katara. She winces noticeably when Dr. Yue gently massages the back of her head.

"Is it still pretty tender here?"

"Yeah."

"So how is she really?" Toph asks from Katara's bedside. Dr. Yue removes a small flashlight from her coat pocket and flashes it across Katara's eyes.

"After X-rays and an MRI we've diagnosed a mild concussion. She has several inches of deep tissue bruising along her right side and minor damage to her left knee, but she she'll be able to get away with a brace instead of a cast. We also have some concerns regarding her appendix."

"Her appendix?" Sokka repeats in confusion.

"Yes, the trauma to her abdomen may have caused some inflammation and we'd like to observe her overnight in case she shows signs of Appendicitis."

"How will we know when she's okay?"

"An anti-inflammatory has been included in her pain medication so we're controlling the swelling. But as long as she doesn't show any symptoms she should be okay to return home tomorrow night."

Sokka sighs heavily and collapses slightly against the wall closest to him. Leaning his head back he manages a relieved, "So she's okay."

"We expect her to make a full recovery," Doctor Yue says with a smile.

"Thank God," Toph whispers.

"Katara, do you remember my name?" Yue asks returning to her check up.

"Dr. Yue."

"And what day is it today?"

"It's Tuesday."

"Very good," Yue confirms. "Now I want you to follow my fingers' movements with your eyes."

Sokka listens to the women's interaction with growing intensity. "So who the hell did this?" he finally asks.

"You'll have to speak with police about that," Yue responds.

Without so much as a farewell Sokka immediately turns around and heads for the waiting area where he'd seen a pair of officers leaving. Had he known their purpose he'd have harassed them for answers long before now. "M-Mr. DelMar!" she calls after him. "I need some more information from you!"

"I'll get back to you!" he shouts as he pounds down the hallway.

"And please don't run in the hospital!"


	3. Blurred Vision

Zuko rubs his eyes as he looks up from his desk. The clock on the opposite wall slowly comes into focus.

"Almost six," Sokka says with inexplicable cheeriness as he leans around the panel dividing their cubicles.

Ignoring him, Zuko stretches in his chair not caring who might stare. They were all interns anyway. Every other year Phoenix & King Consulting hired a dozen interns to do the company's most menial work for three months. The reason they got hundreds of applications every spring was because of the promise to keep two as permanent employees at the end of the term. As the largest privately owned Risk Management firm in the nation- not to mention the excellent political ties it boasted- it was the opportunity of a lifetime for students graduating from a variety of programs. So naturally the entire second story of the office was filled with clusters of cubicles like the ones he and Sokka sat at.

In fact, the competition was so stiff that there had recently been an expertly down played scandal involving an intern and someone high up in the company. No doubt it was the extra-curricular efforts of some lecherous old CEO getting caught with their pants down- literally. When the work force showed up short one intern that Monday the rest of the little dragons, as they were referred to by the staff, celebrated their increased chances of being invited on as a permanent member of the company.

Secretly, though, Zuko harbored some disappointment at her dismissal. He'd admired the dismissed intern, Dana, but she'd clearly proven she was capable of making her own decisions, however poor they may be. It was like Zuko always said though: you can't change the past so there was no point dwelling in it.

Running through the day's list of tasks in his mind Zuko realizes with a grimace that he hadn't finished a report assigned to him. Glancing at the clock once more he debates over what to do about it.

"Hey, do you know if Ozai is still in the office?" he asks Sokka reluctantly.

"I heard Kaseem mention that he'd left early," he replies as he leans around the divider once more. Zuko tries not to flinch away from his boistrous presence. "Something about an appointment with the District Attorney. Why?"

Zuko grimaces both at the mention of Zhao, the District Attorney, and Sokka's unwelcome presence as he gets up to lean casually against the Zuko's cubicle. "Just deciding what to do about the Wasatch JPA report. I can't really afford to put it off for another day," he answers. The report had him working directly with the company's President – much to his dismay- so procrastination wasn't an option. Every other intern was working with a junior employee doing entry level work, but of course Zuko had somehow been singled out by their honorable leader. It did little for his popularity, not to mention his emotional well being.

"Yeah, that's a bummer," Sokka sympathizes. "But, hey, at least you get to pick the brain of one of New York's most successful guys."

"Right. Nothing but the best and brightest..." he mutters.

"Well, I'd offer to help but I've got a date with Suki in an hour," Sokka adds with transparent nonchalance.

Zuko offers no reply.

"You met her," he continues expectantly, "- sort of." Zuko pauses to raise a disbelieving eyebrow at him. When had he ever been a part of his coworkers' private lives? The idea seemed especially unbelievable with this particular coworker. "C'mon you remember a few days ago when we stopped at the Four Nations."

"Oh, you mean when you made us late from our lunch break. Yeah I remember that."

Sokka's exasperation is almost comical to Zuko. Almost. "God Zuko, we worked _through _lunch and how many times do I have to say it? We weren't late because-"

"-There was technically no limit on the meeting with the Mayor's staffers. Yeah I remember. How's your sister by the way? She was that girl who was attacked in the subway station last night, right?" he asks.

"She's doing okay," Sokka replies with some surprise. "How did you know about what happened?"

"The story was on a local news channel. I recognized her name."

"Oh right. Well she's doing okay. She gets released later tonight. She's gonna hate using crutches."

"I can imagine," Zuko says and a violent memory flashes through his mind. Crutches had been the least of his worries all those years ago.

"You heading out?" Sokka asks finally noticing Zuko's jacket and briefcase tucked under his arm.

"Yeah," he says grateful for the distraction. "I'm gonna go get an old professor's opinion on something in this report." He doesn't add; _There are a few things that don't add up and I have my suspicions on why and who's involved._

Sokka shakes his head in disappointment, "And here I thought you might actually have a social life." He slaps a comradely hand on Zuko's shoulder before an icy glare has him quickly withdrawing it. "Suki has a lot of friends, ya know."

Zuko wishes he'd been able to control the automatic roll of his eyes since the condescending proposition didn't merit any acknowledgment. "If I ever get that desperate I'll let you know." Turning on his heel he decides it's time to leave before any more 'good will' finds its way into Sokka's head.

"Well don't blame me when you die alone," Sokka says by way of farewell and raises a hand in mock salute as Zuko departs.

"I won't," he replies though he's not sure exactly which part of that statement he's responding to.

As he heads toward the lobby of the two-story building his exit path inevitably leads him past the spacious office delegated to the company's President. And like every other day his golden eyes find themselves inevitably glancing inside. Today, however, he is surprised by an unwelcome sight.

"What are you doing in Ozai's office?" he demands as he stands in the doorway.

Azula glances up from the file lying open on the desk to discover her big brother standing a few feet away. "So the workaholic does leave the office," she marvels.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh, Zuko," she sighs while casually shutting the folder. "Daddy's not here so you don't have to try so hard to seem competent."

Zuko clenches his jaw irately at his sister's continued jabs. Taking a slow breath he manages to reply in an even tone. "If you're looking for Ozai he's out of the office, so I suggest you come back some other time."

"I'm not looking for _father_. I'm here for you," she says as she saunters forward. Zuko looks down at his little sister with obvious distrust. She sighs again as if the pretense was impossible to maintain. "I guess _technically_ I'm here for Mai," she confesses. "We were in the neighborhood and she wanted to say hello."

Zuko's muscles immediately tense at the mention of Mai. Azula's exaggerated innocence isn't his only clue that she's working to keep the subject away from her. But despite his best efforts he can't squash his reaction at the mention of his ex-girlfriend. Azula watches with vindictive pleasure as her brother's cool demeanor cracks.

"I can't. Say hello I mean. I have to catch a train," he stutters and pushes past her.

"Let us give you a ride."

"It's too far out of your way."

"We've got all night. And that way you two could have a nice, long chat," Azula says sweetly. "Catch up and what not."

"No. I'll be fine," Zuko snaps as he heads for the nearest exit. Azula smiles as she follows slowly in pursuit. Just another few steps and he'd be to the stairs and free of his sister's toxic presence.

"Okay, okay," she concedes. "I can tell when I'm being rejected, but Mai will be so disappointed." These last words are flung after him with pleasure. He would understand their meaning and this would ensure his retreat. When his thin frame disappears through the doorway Azula returns to her previous endeavors- smiling as she flips open the file folder.

Zuko doesn't hesitate as he barrels through the glass doors leading out of the building. As he steps out onto the sidewalk only he's greeted by a sleek, black car idling next to the curb. His stomach twists uncomfortably as he stares his reflection in the darkly tinted windows. But no one rolls down the window; either because no one else is in the car or because Mai has no desire to speak to him. Both are possible. He stalks away from the vehicle feeling the old hatred begin to resurrect itself. "Calm down," he mutters to himself. No point in letting Azula win. She'd enjoyed disrupting his life since they were kids. Unfortunately, disappointing Mai had been another one of the few constants in his life.

A half hour later Zuko sits on the train headed the city still lost in the past thanks to Azula's manipulations. He'd never really figured out what to call his relationship with Mai. They'd gone down the messy road of trying to transition from friends to more than that. They'd certainly never been a legitimate couple. His negligent attitude made that pretty clear, and 'lovers' tended to imply a certain level of mutual respect. No, he'd been in too bad of a place after his Mother left to call what they did love.

The thought of his mother sends a deep wave of sorrow through him. Forcing his mind onto another track he pushes his thoughts elsewhere. At this point it didn't matter what had happened between him and Mai. When he'd nearly flunked out of school he'd sworn off everything that had been tying him to his past. The past that had haunted him and slowly dragged him down. It wasn't Mai's fault that she was included in that past, but he knew that didn't save her from the pain of their separation.

Regret leaks back into him as he stares out the foggy window of the train car. He wonders everyday if it's a mistake to work in the office of his estranged father; if he was offered the position because of his connection to the President; or if he was offered the position for darker reasons than nepotism. Ultimately, it had come down to fact that the opportunity was too good to pass up. After today, though, he's certain the decision would not go unpunished. All of his old demons had begun to rear their ugly heads and apparently Azula had decided to be both their catalyst and ring leader.

Cities and stations roll past his window and Zuko wonders 'what if' at every turn. Maybe it was more than chance that had sent him to visit his uncle. No one helped provide clarity quite like he did, not to mention the NYU campus was his home away from home growing up. Hopefully he'd be able to get some work done once he had both feet under him again.


	4. Family Ties

"Knock, knock." Zuko raps his knuckles lightly against the open office door.

The older man sitting behind the desk looks up from the stacks of papers in front of him at the interruption.

"Nephew!" he exclaims in pleasant surprise. Zuko offers a rare smile as the man's gravelly voice calls out to him. He sets his bag down on the least messy chair in the room while his Uncle stands to properly greet him.

"I was not expecting to see you so soon," he says happily as the pair embrace.

"Well I have to defend my title as favorite nephew don't I?" Zuko glances around the cluttered office and sighs inwardly. "Besides," he adds as the two break apart. "I had a feeling you weren't going to organize this hell hole like you promised."

Iroh chuckles in self deprecation and simply shrugs. "I believe there's a saying about old dogs and new tricks isn't there?" He runs his hands across his generous torso absentmindedly as he looks around fondly. "You might not like my system but it works for me, so how about you stop worrying about me and you start worrying about yourself for a change."

"There's nothing to worry about," Zuko replies as he thumbs absent-mindedly through a stack of pages.

"Oh really? Then Ozai magically grew a heart, Azula some emotions and you met a nice girl you want to spend the rest of your life with?"

Zuko releases a long sigh. "If that were true I might actually start worrying."

Iroh laughs heartily at his nephew's pessimism. "Only the first two my boy. A pretty young woman falling in love with you wouldn't be surprising at all. That is if you ever ventured out of your apartment to go anywhere but the office."

"I go to the grocery store too," Zuko says and Iroh laughs once more. As their shared humor simmers Iroh looks at his nephew with a penetrating gaze. Zuko isn't sure that he wants his mind read just yet so he steps away from his Uncle under the pretense of removing his jacket. "Before I tell you the exciting new developments in my life let's at least try to sort through your mail, okay?"

"Alright, I give up. But I reserve the right to veto any suggestions that include getting rid of my favorite magazines," Iroh says gravely.

"Which would those be?" Zuko asks distractedly. He's already begun sorting through the junk mail.

"The Victoria's Secret catalog."

Iroh is rewarded by having said catalogue chucked at his face. Eventually, the two roll up their sleeves and over the next forty-five minutes enjoy discussing everything from Zuko's love life to the declining Eurozone and of course how to make the ideal cup of tea. Finally after they've uncovered the top of Iroh's desk and chairs the older man breaches the unspoken agreement of avoiding the real reason Zuko came.

"So tell me how you're doing, really."

The young man doesn't quit shuffling through files until his Uncle rests a paternal hand on his shoulder. His eyes find their way up to the picture that had been sitting on his Uncle's desk since the day he began work in NYU's college of Liberal Arts sixteen years ago. It was a picture of him with his only son Lu Ten who had been killed when Zuko was still a boy.

"Zuko?"

Mentally Zuko shakes his head. No point in living in the past. "I had a pleasant conversation with Azula today."

"I see."

"She was snooping through Ozai's office. I don't know what for."

"Sounds like she's finding things to keep herself busy. A little socialite like her has priorities too."

"Right. Who needs a degree when you can blackmail your way to the top?"

Iroh doesn't laugh at his nephew's slanted joke. "What does she have on you, nephew?"

Zuko rises from his seat on the floor so he can pace across the office. "Nothing really."

The older man nods thoughtfully. "I guess she doesn't really need to with the history between you two."

"Yes there is that. And the fact that I can't stand being within a hundred yards of her and her friends Ty Lee or...Mai."

"Zuko-"

"It's okay. I'm fine," Zuko insists cutting of whatever sympathies his Uncle was going to express. "I actually came down here because I wanted to get your opinion on this report. It records some suspicious behavior." He reaches over to his bag. "I didn't want to jump to conclusions but I think- well the numbers speak for themselves."

He stands up and hands the folder to his Uncle pointing to specific numbers and businesses associated with the company. "Phoenix and King- minus the Phoenix now- are apparently changing their marketing strategy. It wouldn't have bothered me if I hadn't seen Zhao's signature on the back of each of these checks."

Iroh continues flipping through the file's pages. "What's so troublesome about the company aligning itself with the District Attorney?" he asks.

"Well the fact that these are all different entities that Zhao is apparently signing for. That these entities are part of different JPA's. Obviously Zhao is double dipping and you know better than I do what a kind of a person he is when no one is looking."

Iroh regards Zuko thoughtfully for a moment. "You came here for the advice of an old law professor did you not?" Iroh asks with raised eyebrows.

"I came to _you_ because you're not just a law professor," Zuko replies in frustration. "You have personal experience with these people. You know what they're capable of."

"And what is it that _you _think they're capable of?"

Zuko begins pacing agitatedly stopping only to stare out the large bay windows. "Ozai would do whatever it took to gain a foot in the door of every important businessman and politician in the state. He'd take care of anything or anyone who got in his way."

"So you think he had his business partner 'taken care of' and is now laundering money with the help of a corrupt District Attorney."

Zuko whirls around. "I don't know Uncle. Should I believe that?" Both of his hands slam ferociously on Iroh's desk. "And if I do, what should I do about it? Ozai can't be left to his own devices. Whatever plans he has will drag us all further down while he just climbs higher and higher!"

Iroh let's Zuko finish his angry rant before responding. "Would you like to hear from your Uncle or your law professor first?"

"I don't care."

"As your law professor it is your job and duty to maintain the integrity of the city," Iroh explains. "However, you should keep in mind that your career hasn't even begun and making enemies in high places can wait for when you have more support."

"But if Ozai-"

Iroh raises a commanding hand. He fixes him with a hard stare as he continues. "As your Uncle I wonder why you want to take action. Is it because you genuinely care about the integrity of the company you work for? Is it because you are concerned that your career will be affected if you are associated with a company involved in criminal activity? Or are allowing yourself to be pulled back under the influence of Ozai- letting your resentment toward him fuel vengeful desires and drag you back under his power?"

The tension in the room is a physical presence. Neither Zuko nor Iroh move until finally Zuko sighs sadly. He rises from his seat on Iroh's desk and wanders toward a tall bookshelf running his fingers across the books there absentmindedly. "I'll never be free of his power," he confesses quietly. "I hate him so much. The only reason I can get through the day is because I can pretend I'm someone else. Someone with no thought but to copy this or print off that," Zuko begins to pick at the torn cover of one of the books. "But something always comes along to ruin my peace of mind. She knows exactly how to get under my skin and do the most damage. Five minutes with either of them and I can't even think straight."

Iroh steps next to his nephew and embraces him in a tight hug. It takes Zuko a long moment before he can return the embrace but soon he is fiercely holding onto his Uncle trying to push back the emotion threatening to spill over. Iroh places both hands on Zuko's shoulders when they break apart. Looking at his nephew's downcast eyes and he silently weeps for him.

"I don't expect you to forget everything he did, Nephew, but freedom will only come when you learn to forgive them. Easier said than done, I know," he offers when Zuko snorts in derision. "It is especially difficult because you've chosen to live within reaching distance of his long arm, but someday you will learn that happiness- true happiness- can only be found when you base your life on a foundation of love and forgiveness. People will disappoint you. You will disappoint yourself but love and forgiveness endure."

Iroh can feel the intense stress in his nephew's shoulders as he stands silently before him. "Alright," he says cheerfully, ready to change the subject. "Grab your coat. The only way to stop thinking about yourself is to think about others."

"I thought you said I should worry more about myself."

"That was before I remembered what an incredible pessimist you are," he replies with a chuckle. He tosses Zuko's jacket to him and flicks the lights off.

As the pair walk toward Iroh's car Zuko asks, "So where are we going exactly?"

"You never did like surprises," Iroh sighs.

"Surprises are for people who enjoy having the rug pulled out from under them."

Iroh shakes his head but chooses not to fight that battle. "I have a friend at the New York Presbyterian hospital who could use some volunteers. But on the way there I can tell you more about my new tea recipe!"

Zuko groans and seriously considers running in the opposite direction.


	5. C'est la Vie

"Puppies."

"Yes, according to Doctor Duran they've proven very effective in boosting a child's self-esteem," the nurse named Lee explains to a dubious Zuko. They'd arrived at the hospital where Iroh had greeted the hospital chief as an old friend. When they were directed to a specialist accepting volunteers Zuko had expected something more along the lines of donating blood. Instead, he watches Iroh laugh as a miniature bulldog begins licking his face excitedly.

"It will be fun," Iroh insists. "Surely, even you can't say no to this face."

He holds the wrinkle-faced pup up to Zuko. She barks a happily until Zuko finds himself unable to keep the corners of his mouth from pulling up into a reluctant smile.

"Fine," he retorts as he reaches for the dog, "but if it pisses on me I will hold you personally responsible, Uncle."

"These dogs are well trained for their age," Lee interjects. "You shouldn't have any problems while you visit the children as long as you stay within the recommended hour."

"See Zuko? Everything is working in our favor."

"Yeah, we shouldn't have any problems," he says and fixes the nurse with a dark, accusatory glare.

Shrinking under his intimidating gaze Lee instructs the pair on how to reach the pediatric ward. "Follow this hallway through the Recovery Wing and you'll come to a set of glass doors. The Pediatric Wing is just through there."

"Thank you very much," Iroh says gratefully as they depart with their furry companions. When Lee is out of earshot he addresses his nephew. "You should save that gloomy scowl for special occasions Zuko. It will lose its effectiveness if it is your permanent expression."

Zuko rolls his eyes. He'd been doing that a lot lately. "It's not gloomy. It's just…foreboding," he decides. "And I hate to break it to you, Uncle, but your Hippie ideals aren't what make this world go round."

Sighing at his short-sighted nephew Iroh chastizes him. "You'd be surprised just what makes this world go round. Believe it or not, making friends and meeting new people is more beneficial than you give it credit for, Zuko. You will discover opportunities available to you only through the cultivation of friendships both professional and personal my taciturn nephew.""

Before Zuko can respond they reach the prescribed glass doors. "I think I'll take little Trixie this way," Iroh says. "I'd recommend you visit another cluster of rooms so we can greet the most children."

"Alright, Uncle. Whatever you say," Zuko turns down the opposite hallway aware that his Uncle is watching him.

"Zuko-" Iroh calls ready to stop him as he watches Zuko walk unwittingly toward the pediatric burn unit. The young man turns back with a questioning expression. He should stop Zuko. The experience drag up dark memories, but then again it might be good for him too. "Have fun," he finally says.

His nephew simply waves haphazardly in response before continuing on his way. As Iroh contemplates the consequences of his decision, Trixie, the six-month-old golden retriever, squirms in his arms begging to be put down. "Alright pretty girl. Shall we go find some sick children to play with?"

Zuko glances around at the closed doorways around him. He notices an attractive blond doctor walking down the hall in his direction.

"Excuse me," he addresses her, "can I take this, uh, therapy puppy into any room?" The words 'therapy puppy' sound even more ridiculous coming out of his mouth. He wonders belatedly if that nurse had been playing a joke on him.

The woman looks up from her chart and smiles politely. "This isn't my usual unit, so I'm not sure if you can take it into the private rooms, but we do have a playroom. I'm sure the children there would love to meet you and your friend," she smiles warmly. "It's that room right there," she indicates a set of double doors to his right.

"Thanks." She doesn't seem to be confused by the 'puppy therapy' comment but that might just be good manners.

"You'll want to set the dog on the ground before you go in there," she offers helpfully. "Or, the heathens will swarm."

"Oh, uh, okay," he says with some confusion as she continues on her way.

He's not sure what he'd expected as he walks through the doorway leading into the playroom. Every part of the hospital was a collection of nondescript pictures, colors and carpets, but in here it couldn't have been more different. More surprising than the colorful room however, is the children who play quietly around the room. Every one looks different, of course, but they're the same in one important regard: the scars. He'd been expecting the terminally ill, but even the two with IV drips have the same scarlet colored scars that mark them as burn victims.

As first one then another pauses to notice him he takes in the variety of crimson colored scars. One girl's arm appears mangled and unusable while another boy looks like he'll never have hair again and another whose scars peek out from under every article of clothing. Surprise fills him, but he doesn't feel shock or revulsion the way many others would. No, these scars are too familiar to be anything but a symbol of camaraderie. These are his brothers and sisters after all, brought together by the bond burned into their flesh. His hand automatically finds its way up to the scar that had disfigured his own face nine years ago.

"Puppy!" A little voice interrupts his reverie. The children all rush forward and quickly surrounding Zuko in a bustling flurry.

"Wait-" he commands uselessly. "Everyone will get a turn. Just-ow my foot!" The dog, just as eager to play, squirms around and tugs at his leash while Zuko attempts to control the situation. Finally, someone comes to his aid with a loud whistle. At the sound of it all but one of the seven children immediately run to sit cross legged atop a carpet with a detailed picture of a town on it.

"I want to play with the puppy!" a little boy shouts from somewhere below Zuko's waist. He glances down to discover the little boy with the burns across his scalp petting the haunches of his dog.

"Carter, you heard the whistle. If you want to play with the puppy you need to go sit on the rug." After another moment the boy finally walks dejectedly back toward the rug where another boy waves to him and motions to the space next to him.

"Sorry about that," a middled aged woman says addressing Zuko. "My name is Linda."

"Zuko," he replies as he sets the puppy down now that he's learned his lesson. The animal immediately runs to edge of the leash and tugs at Zuko's grip.

"Welcome to the pediatric burn unit," Linda says as the pair walk over to the group of children waiting obediently on the rug. "Are you with Dr. Duran's study?"

If he wanted an out then now was his opportunity to say something; anything that would excuse him from the situation. But inexplicably an affirmative 'yes' finds its way out of his mouth drawing a smile from Linda as she turns to the group of children.

"Alright, who wants to play some games with our new friends?" she announces loudly.

The children all begin shouting eagerly once more. "Okay. First let's have our friends introduce themselves," Linda motions for Zuko to sit with the circle of children.

"You want me to- uh, okay." He turns to face the children as he joins them. Staring into the faces of seven young kids he realizes that he hasn't interacted with anyone under the age of eighteen for several years. "Uh, hi. My name is Zuko," he clears his throat awkwardly. "This is-"

"What happened to your face?" The boy from before asks.

Zuko glances over to Linda but she doesn't appear to be bothered by the blunt question. Questions like these were probably commonplace in this playroom. Inwardly shrugging he replies; "I got a burn."

"How?" the little girl on his left asks. He glances down at her. She's the one with the burned arm.

"I was in a car accident with my dad a long time ago. This is my souvenir," he says pointing to the scar that covers most of his left eye and temple. "How'd you get yours?"

She looks down at her mangled arm sadly. "Mommy says it was an accident."

Great pity fills Zuko as he watches the girl stroke her broken arm. She is after all an unexpected shadow of his own past.

"I'm sorry," he says sincerely. "It's a good thing you've got such a beautiful smile, though. And look who else likes it." The puppy in Zuko's lap noses forward and licks the girl's leg energetically. She giggles happily in response. "Alright Linda, let's play some games," Zuko says.

For the next forty-five minutes the eight burn victims, new and old, play everything from 'red light, green light' to 'the kissing game.' As Zuko plays along with the kids, teaming up with the slower paced children and stumbling over others, he fails to notice the unusual expression on his face. An expression that only a fool or a close friend- neither of which exist in his life- would have the courage to point out as happiness.

When everyone has managed to plant a sloppy kiss on each others' scars during The Kissing Game the group decides to play Hide-and-go-Seek for the last fifteen minutes of the designated play time. Only five minutes later, however, Zuko has to bite back a ready curse when the 'well-trained' puppy pees all over his shoes. The sight of Zuko stumbling out of his hiding spot with a still urinating dog draws riotous laughter from the children.

"Potty Zuko! Potty Zuko!" They take up chanting as he stands there teetering between anger and helpless laughter.

"That's enough," Linda intervenes once again. "Sorry, Zuko but I'm afraid this has to be the end of our play date. Not all of the children can be exposed to acidic liquids like- dog urine." She attempts to stifle her laughter but Zuko is no fool. His good cheek burns slightly at her laughter.

"Don't go Zuko!" Carter, the boy with the burned scalp, shouts. The rest of the children immediately join his cry and descend into chaotic dissenting as he attempts to calm them down.

"Sorry guys, but I don't want to get dog germs all over you," he explains.

"Can I get you some scrubs to change into before you go?" Linda offers eyeing some stray patches of wet on his pant legs.

"Yeah that would be great," he agrees and glances down when he feels a tug on his pant leg; it's Celia, the girl with the burned arm.

"Mr. Zuko. Will you come back and play with us again?" she asks in a pixie-like voice.

As he stares down at her round face and hopeful brown eyes he knows he only has one option. "Of course, I'll come back Celia." He assures her as he squats down to her height. "How could I stay away from my new best friends?"

Her face break into an exultant smile at his words. "Pinky promise?"

All the responsibilities on Zuko's shoulders swirl in his mind as he looks at her extended little finger: his internship and his next year of law school starting in a few weeks, to name a few. But he knows he won't be able to stay away. Throwing caution to the wind he intertwines his large finger with hers. "I promise."


	6. Taking Chances

"Don't be a baby," Katara whispers to herself as she stands nervously in the hallway. The hospital- usually her favorite place- bustles around her as she leans nervously against a pale wall. "You're just going to thank him. No need to be so nervous," she coaches herself. She glances down the hallway of private recovery rooms and tries to bolster her courage.

"Miss Katara," a surprised voice startles her. She turns around to discover none other than her mentor and the Chief of Surgery, Pakku Mare. "I didn't expect to see you today."

"Chief Mare! Uh, i'm not scheduled. I was actually just discharged."

"Yes, I heard you were in an accident. What happened?"

"I took a bit of a fall on my way home last night. But no permanent damage."

"Glad to hear it. I'm off to a board meeting, but we'll have to coordinate your lab hours with your recovery time. Call me tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, sir!" she calls.

When the imposing man is far enough away Katara slumps with relief against the wall. Of course she'd get interrupted by the Chief of Surgery. Maybe it was a sign that she shouldn't be here. "Enough," she whispers forcefully "It's now or never."

She limps with determination down the hallway until she reaches room one hundred and six. "Knock, knock," she raps lightly on the open door frame.

The man propped up in bed looks up from his laptop and smiles when he recognizes the girl in the doorway. "Well if it isn't trouble herself," he says amicably. "I don't know if I should invite you in."

"What if I told you I brought some good luck with me?" Katara replies and holds up a potted orchid.

"Then I guess I have to," he says as he appreciates the sight. "I wouldn't want to risk turning down good luck or pretty women."

Katara laughs nervously in response and approaches his bedside. The small table next to him is already occupied by the large bouquet of flowers, but she finds room for her small offering. _Of course he'd have rich friends_, she thinks. If he could afford this private room his friends could at the very least afford a large bouquet of elegant flowers.

"I guess someone beat me to the punch," she runs a hand through the velvet petals before suddenly gasping in surprise. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that."

He laughs in response. "Please don't worry about me, though that was an interesting choice of words."

Katara's cheeks flush darkly. "Sorry!" She repeats in embarrassment.

"Really, don't worry about it," he repeats and indicates for her to sit in the chair next to his bed. She attempts to compose herself as she complies. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asks.

Grateful for his gracious manners she takes a quick reassuring breath before beginning. "I just wanted to make sure you were recovering well. And to thank you. I can't be sure, but I think you might have saved my life in that subway station."

"Anyone would have done the same," he assures her.

"I don't know if that's true," she says honestly, "but I just want you to know how grateful I am. I owe you one enormous favor."

He smiles as if he's familiar with the sentiment. "Well now, I don't know about that. All I really did was manage to get my ass kicked. I didn't even get your bag back and now you bring me these flowers on top of it. I'd say I'm the one who owes you."

She laughs enchanted by his self-deprecating humor. "Maybe you're right," she agrees. "I did do most of the work."

The two of them laugh together until he winces. Katara hovers anxiously by his side until he's able to relax again.

"Should I call the nurse?"

"No, I'm okay," he reassures, but her hand remains hovering by the call button. The healer in her knows he could use some more painkillers, but she doesn't want to ignore his wishes either.

"What a pair we make," he remarks after a moment. "You limp in here with that cumbersome knee brace and I lay here like a convalescent old man because of something as silly as a fractured rib."

"And a dislocated shoulder," Katara adds seriously.

"And a dislocated shoulder," he repeats mocking her serious attitude. "Though that hardly counts. It's been dislocated so many times a strong wind could knock it out. Occupational hazard."

"So saving women in the subway is your occupation?"

"Something like that." His smile flickers slightly.

"Is that bouquet from one of your damsels in distress?" Katara eyes the elegant arrangement critically. The large bouquet reeks of wealth and female taste.

"Maybe," his head cocks to the side with an expression that borders on amusement. "Would it bother you if it is?"

Katara curses mentally when she answers a little too quickly. "What I mean is- why should I be bothered?"

"You shouldn't be. Because there are no other women and those flowers are from a business associate."

"Oh." Katara's relief is apparent in her smile. She reaches a thin arm toward the small note card poking out among the petals. "Then maybe this card will help clarify the mysterious profession you keep hinting at-"

"No," Jet's suddenly tense voice interrupts her. She looks at him in surprise. He appears relaxed but she notices the distrust in his eyes and the way his knuckles whiten as he grips his laptop. "There's nothing inside," he assures. "Just a Phoenix and King Consulting business card. Nothing special."

"Of course," she smiles quickly. But it doesn't seem to fit as well as it did a moment ago. After a beat of silence she rises. "Well I should be going."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. My brother should be on his way to pick me up. I need to check in with him."

"Do it from my phone." Jet nods toward his sleek black phone on the nightstand. "Then we can keep talking after."

His smile seems genuine but those flowers remain in the corner of her vision: a reminder of a moment of distrust. He reads her expression and sighs. "I promise not to be weird again."

She laughs lightly. "Alright fine." He types in a quick password before handing her the phone. She smiles at him as she places the phone to her ear before limping on a single crutch toward the door.

"I never caught your name," he calls after her.

Her dark hair flips across her shoulder as she turns to answer. "It's Katara."

"Nice to officially meet you. I'm Jet." He returns her smile. "See you when you get back."


	7. First Impressions

"Well trained my ass..."

Zuko mutters other curses under his breath as he ties burgundy scrubs around his waist. He looks in the mirror and tries not to notice how his scar is highlighted by their color. Shaking his head he splashes water over his face and runs a hand through his mussed hair. A list of work runs through his mind until the idea of tomorrow seems dubious. Despite it, he knows tomorrow will end here, like it did today, and the thought leaves a hint of a smile in his expression.

"Zuko," his Uncle calls through the door of the single bathroom. "I'm going to return Cocoa and Trixie. I'll meet you in the lobby."

"See you there." Zuko slips his sockless feet into his freshly rinsed shoes. Grabbing his briefcase and bag full of soiled clothes he heads toward the lobby. As he exits the bathroom a young woman unexpectedly exits a recovery room to his left. She smiles at him before limping away. Without any real curiosity he glances into the room she appeared out of. For the second time that day he is surprised by an unexpected sight.

"What the hell?" Zuko whispers in astonishment. He stands frozen in the doorway while his mind tries to make sense of the image before him. The man staring at him with dark, intelligent eyes is impossible familiar. He looks like someone who should be six feet under- not casually laying in bed.

"Long time no see, Zuko." Jet speaks to him as if it's been days instead of years since the pair has seen one another.

"You're alive."

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"How are you alive?" He can't manage more than a whisper as he tries to wrap his mind around the image before him. His wide eyes take in the sight of the man he had considered lost for eight years. "There was a funeral, an investigation," Zuko reasons. "The story was covered by the papers. For God's sake there's a memorial bench at the crash site!"

Jet nods, unsurprised by the in information. "I know. And I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you I was alive."

"I don't know what question to ask first."

Jet takes Zuko's silence as his cue. "It all happened so fast, Zuko. By the time I knew what was supposed to happen there was no time to get a message out."

"What do you mean? Did you know we were going to crash?"

Jet remains silent and Zuko looks at him. Really taking in his appearance for this time. He is no longer the mischevious looking boy Zuko had known. He is coiffed. Calm. And the gleam in his eye has cooled to something more calculated. "This wasn't some crazy accident." This last part is no longer a question. He's already putting together the pieces that Jet is alluding to. "When I was a kid I'd wake up from dreams where you told me exactly that. God! What were you into Jet? Did you fake your own death? Why didn't you tell me you son of a bitch?"

Jet rises, not appearing to be bothered when his injuries are jostled. "This puts me in an awkward position, Zuko. I acted impulsively last night. I had no idea it would lead to this unfortunate reunion."

"Unfortunate?" The word tastes bitter in Zuko's mouth.

"Yes," Jet confirms as he reaches for his clothes. "This meeting was premature. They're not going to like this."

"Who's not going to like this?" Jet doesn't pause to let Zuko catch up. He removes his arm from its sling and pulls his clothes on. He tosses his jacket around his shoulders once his arm is secure again.

"I'll see you again old friend. You'll understand the next time."

Why are you acting like this? Where have you been?" Zuko reaches after Jet as he exits the room but the man spins around faster. His expression holds no trace of amusement as he grips the offending arm. "Let me help you," Zuko pleads quietly. "Whatever it is."

Jet smiles. "The fact that you think you can help is proof that you're not ready." He releases Zuko and leaves him standing alone in the hallway. Before he disappears out of the building he raises his good arm in farewell. "Tell your Uncle I say hello." The words echo back to Zuko until the hospital's sliding glass doors slide quietly shut.

Zuko stands oblivious to the bustle around him. Jet is alive. The staggering revelation has long buried memories swirling through his mind. After his best friend had disappeared from his life all the pieces of his tenuous life had fallen apart. In some ways, Zuko had used the memories Jet's friendship to bounce back from the worst of his downward spiral. He may have an absent father, a mother who'd abandoned him and a degenerative sister but at least he'd known true friendship. The idea seems idiotic now.

"On your right sir!" Someone's warning comes too slowly and Zuko is pushed aside as a guerney comes flying down the hallway. A familiar young woman in a white lab coat stops to check on him while two nurses continue driving the bed toward the elevator. He waves her off and she jogs after her patient.

Shaken from his trance Zuko grabs his bags and runs out of the lobby. The doors slide open revealing a night rain but no one in sight. The building's porch shelters him from the wet weather as he scans the bare parking lot.

"Where are you?" he shouts into the rain. "You can't just disappear again!" It's a futile attempt. He's learned how skilled Jet is at disappearing. The man he encountered today is not the same person he knew as a child. Zuko curses under his breath as he jogs back into the dry embrace of the building.

"There you are! I was beginning to think you'd left without me," Iroh approaches Zuko from his seat in the lobby. "What's wrong Zuko? Why that expression?" Zuko's grave expression is impossible to miss. "Come now. I heard those children laughing. You must be in a better mood after spending time with them."

Zuko is surprised by this comment. His time spent in with the children already seems a lifetime away. Even his Uncle's upbeat attitude can't persuade him to smile. The encounter with Jet is too fresh.

"What is the matter Zuko?"

"Nothing." he replies as he runs his hands over his face. "Nothing. I'm just tired." He glances out the door where the rain streaks through the lamp light. "I'll pull the car around. Wait here."

Iroh hands his keys to Zuko and settles down on a bench while he waits. A young lady hangs up the nearby pay phone and sighs. Noticing her pretty blue eyes Iroh decides it's his obligation to offer her assistance. Young ladies should never be left in distress.

The tires of his Uncle's car cruise over the wet black top as Zuko approaches the hospital. He grits his teeth tensely when he recognizes the woman Iroh has managed to engage while he waits. It's the woman from Jet's hospital room. Looking at her now she seems familiar, but he ignores the feeling and speeds to the entrance. She could mention Jet and condemn Zuko to a night of interrogation.

"Uncle. It's late we need to get going." The rain drips down his already damp hair as he steps out of the driver door. The girl returns his gaze with a surprised expression.

"Ah, nephew. You will never guess. This young lady has been stranded here. Apparently her phone was lost in an accident yesterday and she has been unable to reach her brother."

"Hospitals are full of beds. I'm sure she'll be fine."

Uncle shakes his head. "Excuse him. He was raised by wolves."

"Really, it's alright," the girl protests stepping back from Zuko's car. "I work here, so they won't have a problem with me spending the night. I'll call my brother in the morning."

"A doctor?" Iroh's pleasure is increasingly apparent. "I have had an ache in my shoulder for weeks. Perhaps you could take a look at it?"

"Uncle." Zuko insists. As much as he wants to question the woman about Jet, he doesn't want to expose his Uncle to today's events.

The girl glances at Zuko maintaining a polite demeanor. "Uh, no. Not a doctor yet."

"But perhaps you could still offer advice on how to soothe these old bones? Come, now you must allow me to drive you home." Iroh opens the passenger door and lifts the girl's bag into the car. Glancing back at the hospital she seems to weigh the danger of getting into the car. Finally she smiles and slides easily into the front seat of the sleek car. "I guess today couldn't end any worse than it start."

Zuko gives Iroh a disapproving look which he ignores as he climbs into the back seat. Zuko stands outside the car for a moment longer. "Nephew," Iroh rolls down his window. "It's late. We need to get going." The irony of this comment is not lost on Zuko despite its innocent delivery. Unfortunately, he has no other option besides getting into the car.

"Isn't this cozy?" Iroh remarks. "Much better than outside in that wet rain."

"I don't mind the rain," the girl says with a smile. She turns her attention to her begrudging driver. "My name is Katara by the way."

"Zuko."

"My nephew lives in the city as well. That's why it's no inconvenience to drive you home," he explains to Katara. "Zuko, why don't you just drop me off at the university? You can keep my car and take Miss Katara home."

The pair in the front seat immediately protests Iroh's suggestion.

"Uncle I have to be to work in the morning-"

"Just drop me at the nearest bus stop-"

"Nonsense!" Iroh silences them. "The trip is too long to leave to busses or trains. Zuko I know you are only thinking of my old bones carrying me around until you can return the car, but I'm sure Dr. Bumi will be happy to carpool to work."

"Mr. King please-"

"Ah, here we are," Iroh announces interrupting Katara's renewed protest. "And I see Dr. Bumi's office light still on. You kids have a wonderful evening. Zuko we can continue the conversation we were having in my office tomorrow."

"At least let me walk you into the building," Zuko insists with annoyance. Katara notices him glance at her before turning the car off and bringing the keys with him.

_What have you gotten yourself into this time_? Katara wonders to herself. She pulls her coat a little tighter around her as the car cools off under the rain. The two men disappear from sight as they hustle into the campus building and Katara wonders if she should make a break for the nearest subway entrance. The city sidewalks are still full of people. It would be a simple task to fall in with the bustle. The thought comes too late though. Zuko is already returning to the car. She watches his tall figure hustle through the rain.

"So you're Uncle is a professor at Columbia?" She asks when he's settled into the driver's seat. The smell of rain rests on his skin and fills the car.

"How do you know Jet?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Earlier tonight I saw you walk out of a hospital room. The man inside. How do you know him?"

"I don't. Not really." Katara grows nervous when Zuko makes no move to turn the car on.

"He obviously knows you."

"No, he doesn't." she emphasizes. "I was in trouble yesterday and he saved me. We met at the hospital. We joked about flowers. How do _you _know Jet?"

Zuko seems taken aback by her question. If he is going to attack her with questions then it's only fair to return the favor. Despite her dislike for the man with the large scar she feels guilty when she sees the pain in his expression. "I'm sorry," Katara says. "Your Uncle was kind to offer me a ride but I won't hold you to that."

She pulls the handle on her door, but Zuko leans across her before she can exit and holds it shut. "I'm sorry," he says quickly. "I didn't mean to harrass you. I'm sorry if I scared you."

"You didn't."

"Right," he says still leaning toward her. "Well, I'd still like to give you a ride home. I agreed to it. Besides would you really rather stand in the rain and ride a bus the entire way back to the city?"

She senses that the question is an honest one. He will let her go if she says to. As she looks into his light eyes she searches for a warning or confirmation in her heart. Instead, she realizes that she feels perfectly calm. "I really don't mind the rain." She says. Zuko leans back in his chair looking resigned. "But I would like to ride with you."

For the first time that night Zuko smiles. It's more of a half smirk, but she likes the way his eyes wrinkle at the edges. "So your Uncle works at Columbia University," Katara says giving Zuko a second chance at their conversation.

Unexpectedly, he laughs. "Yeah. He's part of the reason I decided to go to law school." He turns the key in the ignition and the car engine rumbles quietly to life. They pull out of the parking lot and into the night as the pair takes their second chance at a first impression.


	8. Excuse the Interruption

Hey Readers! (if there are any of you left)

I wanted to thank you for reading this story and hope you've enjoyed it so far! I have an honest question for you so please feel free to give an honest response: are you interested enough in this story for me to finish it? I have it outlined and enough motivation to finish it BUT I've had this other story I've been wanting to work on for a couple of years now and feel like now is the time to write it. Since I have a horrible habit of not finishing stories I really wanted to finish this one but only if you guys actually want me to.

I'm more than eager to start my new Zutara story with the help of the lovely _dancingqueensillystring_ my amazing Beta. I wanted to get your input before I contacted her and started passing work back and forth for the new story. Anyway...I guess just let me know if you guys are interested in this story. I'd finish it eventually regardless of the new story, but I owe it to you to finish what I started if even one of you wants me to.

Love and fluff to you,

M-useless100


	9. Questions of the Heart

**My lovely readers! Your wish is my command. This chapter is for you-KiDLatZ, RedRaven, JamesBirdsong, Momorulz, Guest, Inomonanimalcrackers, emdb, and yes even you Absajjia! Thanks for the reviews and I look forward to more!**

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><p>His Uncle's car maneuvers easily through early morning traffic; not that he's eager to reach his destination. Yesterday had been surprising, to say the least, and now he wants answers. It's been at least three years since he's visited his family's home I the Upper East Side. A streak he's not eager to break but after Azula's taunting yesterday he feels sure that she knows something. What happened to Jet? Where is he now? His conversation with the woman he met last night enters his memory. Katara, she'd said. Her name was Katara.<p>

_The commute back to the city had been relatively quick. She'd smiled at him when he talked about his Uncle and law school. He watched the way her hair fell in rivers down her back as she described her dream of becoming a doctor, a healer as she called it. Now as he shifts the car into park next to curb outside her apartment complex he becomes agitated once more. _

"_Katara," he turns to face her with a penetrating expression. "I need to know. Do you really not know Jet?"_

_Her eyebrows wrinkle in response. "We only met today. I got this stupid knee brace because I chased after the man who stole my backpack in the subway. Jet happened to be there and tried to help me out. When we both ended up in the hospital I went to his room to thank him. That's where we met. Honestly, all we talked about was what happened in the subway."_

_Zuko had expected this response. After knowing her for just twenty minutes he can only believe her. The way her expressive, blue eyes answer questions before she can even speak leaves him sure of her honesty. This doesn't make it any less frustrating for him to discover that he has no leads on Jet's whereabouts._

"_Don't you believe me?" _

_Zuko looks at her hurt expression with surprise. "Of course I do. I just…" he wonders how much he should say. "Jet and I have a long history. Seeing him tonight makes me wonder if our history is longer than I thought."_

_Katara's expression turns thoughtful. "I may see him again. He- well, he has my phone number." She tucks her loose, dark hair behind her ear, slightly embarrassed by the admission. The information does not endear Zuko to his resurrected friend. "Before your Uncle Iroh offered me a ride home, Jet had offered to find me a ride home too."_

"_But you didn't accept?"_

"_I," she seems to struggle to find a response. "He's a stranger."_

_Zuko wonders at her logic. She must be crazy to say no to one stranger and yes to another. "Be careful," he warns suddenly. "My Uncle is easy to trust but Jet's not always what he appears to be."_

"_I will," Katara promises quietly. She glances up from her lap toward the driver next to her and notices the ways his light eyes seem to shimmer like gold. Zuko's warm breath fills the air between them and they stare at one another until his expression shifts to the dark bruise on her cheek. "I'll help you inside," he finally mutters. _

Zuko is pulled out of his reverie when he notices the houses on either side of the street growing larger; more expansive and luxurious. The sky seems to darken- or is it just in his mind?- when he reaches gated driveway at the end of the block. Punching in the code the ivy covered gates swing back to reveal the luxurious home of his childhood. He parks his Uncle's car in the front courtyard where he is greeted by bleached white columns, stacks of looming windows and Lo and Li. The twin sisters stand in the open doorway of the front entrance creating a gray, sagging barrier.

"Good morning, Master Zuko." Their aged faces betray no surprise at the sight of their long lost ward. Zuko nods in response but offers no greeting.

"Is she awake?"

"Of course." Zuko shakes his head as sweeps past the elderly pair. Over the years he'd tried and failed to discover a distinguishing feature between the two. They'd seemed ancient when they first came to fill in the role his mother had left behind eight years ago. Now, he was beginning to wonder if they'd outlive everyone.

Pushing aside the ache in his gut at the thought of his mother he looks around the familiar and yet alien setting around him. The home's foyer expands outward. To his left is a large sitting room and to his right a similarly furnished study. He moves forward, toward the stairs leading up to bedrooms and doors shielding secrets and toward the kitchen where the sounds of breakfast clatter toward him.

"This is a surprise," Azula's throaty voice drifts lazily down to him from the staircase. Clad in silk sleepwear she saunters down the stairs pausing when she rests on a step just above him. "We run into each other once and suddenly you're chasing after me. I've missed you too, brother."

Her venomous sarcasm is not lost on Zuko but he'd expected it. "We're nothing without family. Right, Azula?"

Her light eyes flash dangerously at the sentiment. "Mother's wisdom is still true, of course." She flips her dark hair across her shoulders as she sweeps past him and toward the kitchen.

Zuko pads silently after, keeping his jacket and scarf on. Azula settles at the kitchen table where a breakfast feast lays spread before her. She wrinkles her nose at it and picks up a slice of bread while Zuko remains standing. "Speaking of the past, I ran into an old, mutual friend last night."

"Oh?" she remarks with disinterest as she surveys the row of jellies next to her toast.

"Yes, he remembers you fondly."

"Well, don't hold me in suspense, brother."

Zuko grows serious, no longer playing his part in their family charades. "How long have you known Jet is alive?"

The room buzzes with sudden intensity as Azula finally halts her meal. Her eyes sweep carefully across Zuko's expression. "Jet died over eight years ago."

"Yes and no."

"Do explain." She motions for him to join her at the large table. Sitting in the cushioned chair across from her he begins explaining his encounter in the hospital last night embellishing where necessary to manipulate the truth from her.

"So you let him just walk away?" Her question is more an accusation as she cocks a condescending eyebrow.

"No-" _Temper,_ Zuko reminds himself. "He had no information to offer. So I decided to come to the source of all important information, which brings me back to my first question. How long have you known that Jet is alive?"

Azula's plush lips stretch into a grin as she returns her attention to her breakfast. "You're finally getting interesting, Zuzu." His posture grows rigid at the taunt. "But that's not the right question."

"Then what is the right one?"

"I'm afraid that's not how the game works."

Exercising all of his restraint Zuko remains calm, or relatively close to calm. "Then tell me how it works."

"It begins when you acknowledge the fact that you are a King! Showing up here in tacky suits and borrowed cars can't hide the fact that you were born better than the rest of the world."

"I know exactly who I am and where I come from! Escaping this world was the first good decision I made after our family fell apart!"

"What's with all the shouting?" The siblings, now standing with palms slammed against the table, turn toward the intruding presence. Dread washes over Zuko while a satisfied expression crosses Azula's face.

"Good morning, Mai. Ty Lee." She crosses the room to greet her friends who had apparently spent the night in the King home. "Won't you join us for breakfast? Zuko here was just telling me how much he misses his old friends."

"No." Zuko sternly and awkwardly interrupts. Pushing the strap of his briefcase higher up on his shoulder he walks out of the room pushing his way past the trio.

"Zuko wait-" Mai's cool hand grabs his wrist. He looks back at her with a biting remark in his throat, but her typically apathetic expression, now hurt, silences him. "Why are you always running away from me?"

"He's not running away Mai," Azula interjects. "He's leaving you. The first good decision he ever made according to him."

"I…" How is he supposed to finish that sentence? Deny Azula's assertion? Apologize? Or worse, agree with his sister and hurt Mai even more? "I can't stay."

"Of course you can't." The pain in Mai's voice grows venomous. Azula's eyes practically sparkle as she moves forward and places her clawed hands around her friend's shoulders in feigned support. Ty Lee, clad in pink, stands quietly behind them in silent solidarity.

Defeated, Zuko stalks angrily away. Footsteps click after him as he escapes through home's entrance. He braces himself for another attack. "You want to know how to play the game, Zuko?" Azula doesn't bother with pretenses as they stand in the morning sunshine. "You can't. You're not even a player in this one."

"This isn't a game to me!" he whirls around. "This is my life! It's yours too if you took one minute to care!"

"Don't pretend to know me Zuko! It's been a long three years…" Azula's hand rests casually on her hip but her shoulders are tense and feet planted firmly in her spot on the front porch. "You want answers? Ask 'why?' Not 'how long' or 'who.' You already know all the players. Just ask _why." _Surprised, Zuko watches her expression for deception. "If I were you I'd remember that we're nothing without family." Azula's warning hangs in the air as the doors to his childhood home click shut.

Ask the right question. Ask the right question? She'd given him nothing! He suspects that even her vague hints will lead to dead ends or, more likely, were just empty distractions. Tempted to march back up to door and pound on it until someone answers he glances at his watch. Damn! It's half past seven. Daily life beckons and he knows he has to leave for work. Sighing in frustration he slides into his Uncle's car. Focusing on his assignments at work would be impossible now.

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><p><strong>Like I said: Review! I love reading your predictions and responses to characters and plot developments. Will update soon my lovelies!<strong>

**P.s. go check out the Zutara Project on my profile. I just added another long and juicy chapter. It's angsty and romance and wonderful if I do say so myself. :)**


	10. Imagine Grey Skies

Hello readers! here's the latest installation. hope you enjoy! i'm kind of cutting down on the story a bit, not that you'll ever know. i just need to crank this thing out because i've only got until probably late january to write this other story that I REALLY want to write. cheers!

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><p><em>Good morning!<br>Want a ride to campus?_

With her knee wrapped up in braces, Katara had been forced to ask for rides since her accident. Two days of it already had her on edge while her friends and family carted her around like an invalid.

_That'd be great. Thanks!_

She answers Suki text still feeling a little rebellious. Not only was she dependent on her friends, they created opportunities for Sokka and Suki to spend time together as they coordinated rides for their mutual connection. Finding out that her brother was dating her best friend left her feeling out of the loop. It wouldn't have bothered her if she'd seen it coming but the couple came as a complete shock. Suki swears that it surprised her too which makes it a little easier to swallow.

_K! See you in five. _

Katara grabs sets her coffee as she limps around the apartment collecting her things. She surprised when there's a knock at the door.

"That was fast-" A tall, lean figure stands in her doorway where she'd expected to see Suki.

"Hello, Katara."

"Jet?"

"I hope you don't mind me dropping by." Katara stares at the unexpected man in surprise. A small voice in the back of her mind wonders how Jet got her address, but any uneasiness disappears when he holds up a familiar bag.

"My backpack!" She rushes forward and grabs the previously lost item. Her blue eyes glow as she hugs the bag to her chest. "How did you find it?"

"I have friends at NYPD."

She waves Jet inside the apartment as she retreats into it. Dropping it onto her kitchen table she tears open the zippers of her bag. "My books!" she cries with glee. She pulls out every item and cradles it to her until the bag is empty and the counter has a neat pile of her belongings. Sitting on the bar stool next to the small counter in her kitchen she sighs. "I guess it was too much to ask for my wallet to be in there."

Jet shrugs. "I tried to track it down but my connections don't deal in petty theft."

"Please," Katara interjects. "You did more than the police. It's amazing!"

Jet wanders around her apartment as she praises him. He appreciates the little markers of her life placed sporadically around the rooms. The books on the coffee table, the pictures on the wall. Her crutches click across the floor as she approaches him.

"It's not much," she says with a smile. "But it's home."

"I think it's wonderful." His smile doesn't waver as he speaks and she appreciates his gracious attitude. Based on his expensive taste in suits she doubted he spent much time in small, eclectic apartments. "Do you live here alone?"

"No, my best friend Toph lives with me and our friend Suki practically lives here too." He nods thoughtfully in response. "That reminds me. I met someone who knows you." The words are out of her mouth before she can stop them. Zuko's expression from last night floats into her memory. He'd asked her to be careful around Jet. And suddenly she doesn't want to talk to him about Zuko.

"Really? Who?" He seems very intrigued by the idea of them having a mutual acquaintance.

"Oh, uh-"

There's a loud knock at the door. "Katara!" Suki's muffled shout drifts toward them and thanks whatever god just saved her. Jet takes the liberty of answering the door for her.

"Oh?" Suki's shock is apparent. "I'm looking for Katara. But I must be at the wrong-"

"I'm here Suki!" Her friend's dark eyes look past the tall man in the doorway with growing confusion.

"Katara? You weren't downstairs so I thought you needed help."

"I do. Thank you. Grab my bag and we can head to the car together?" Katara's eyes plead for Suki to just be patient and do as she asks. And like a true friend she does. Grabbing Katara's things she lingers in the hallway and Katara has the pass she needs to escape her conversation with Jet.

Tucking a hair behind her she looks up at the man. "I have to be to class but I think I officially owe you coffee. Call me sometime?"

Jet nods. "Of course." He heads down the hallway and out of sight as Katara locks her apartment. Suki has the good sense to wait until the door to the stairwell clicks shut before attacking her friend with questions.

"Who was _that?_"

"Get me to the car and I'll fill you in on everything." For once, Suki shoulders her friend's bags without complaint.

Thanks to the return of her old textbooks, the rest of Katara's day goes well. She hadn't realized how sweet their heavy pages smelled or how expensive it cost to purchase two copies of a semester's worth of books. Luckily, she'd been able to return her recent replacement copies.

Her unexpected visitor this morning left her feeling uneasy. At the time, it had seemed harmless but there's that feeling in the pit of her stomach that all is not right. What kind of connections does someone have to track down a backpack stolen by a common criminal? More than that, what kind of a man goes through all that effort for a stranger? Distance- warns that intuitive voice in her mind. Maybe distance was good advice when it came to Jet.

She was beginning to regret the invitation for coffee she'd extended to the man. It was probably too much to ask that he'd lost her number. Anyway, he already knows where she lives…

"Hey sis!" Katara shakes her head, clearing her mind.

"Hi Sokka." Her brother emerges from his familiar blue sedan. She rolls her eyes when he grabs bags out of her hands and carries them to the car. She half expects him to insist on carrying her too. "How's Suki?"

Sokka flashes her smile that begs for her patience. "Don't be mad at me, Tara. We're good for each other."

"Whatever you say." She folds her arms- clearly not appeased.

"Aw c'mon, don't be like that."

"You couldn't have given me a little warning? Either of you?"

Sokka easily pulls into traffic and whips around turns as they argue. "And have you scare her off? I don't think so. It's better this way. Trust me."

"That's the last thing I'm going to do." Despite her brother's transgressions, she can't stay mad. Not today. The flowers on the bench between them remind her of their destination.

"Is dad meeting us there?"

"Yeah, work kept him longer than he expected so we'll beat him there he says." Katara is always surprised when this day arrives the world keeps turning. She wonders why the people around her can't sense the gloom, or why the weather always chooses to remain deceptively clear. The anniversary of her mother's death is not for sunny days.

"It's a little easier this year," Sokka comments quietly. Outside her window, people hurry between street corners while she and Sokka sit in traffic.

Eventually, the flow of traffic picks up and the siblings find themselves pulling into the peaceful grounds of a New York cemetery. Their dad's car sits parked in the small lot. "I guess he still beat us here."

"Yeah," Katara agrees as they tread over the well kept grass. The flowers rest delicately in her arms as she wanders the maze of gravestones until they reach the south end of the cemetery. A familiar figure stands alone just a few yards away.

"Kids." Their father's arms invite beckon to them and the trio hugs silently while the bird's chirp around them. Eventually, they separate and Katara finds herself wiping a few stray tears away from her cheeks.

"We brought you flowers, Mom." She lays the flowers in the grass below her. The granite gravestone shines under the sun.

Sokka squats down next to her and places his hand on the stone. "I got into this great internship. It's gonna be really great for my resume after graduation. It may even lead to a full-time job at the firm."

"Being pre-med is harder than I thought. It takes a lot of work but I'm doing pretty well. Pakku found me a volunteer spot in the hospital."

"And then he found her room when she became a patient," Sokka interjects.

Katara rolls her eyes. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Can you believe her mom? She gets mugged in a subway and it's not that big a deal. I told you she was crazy." The last part is whispered loud enough for everyone to hear but Sokka acts as if only the gravestone could hear.

Hakoda, who had been standing quietly between his children, rests a hand on each of their shoulders. "Let me have a minute, will you?"

The pair of blue-eyed siblings rise to allow their father room. He squats down and just sits their silently for a moment. Sokka glances at his sister and jerks his head away from their father. Catching on, she joins Sokka as he heads in the direction of the fountain a few yards back. Their father deserved as long as he wanted.

Sokka heaves a long sigh as they walk. "Was that me who said it was easier this year?"

"I think it was some crazy guy we met on the way here." Sokka replies with smile. They continue walking in silence.

As Katara glances around her she's reminded how peaceful it is in this place. It almost makes her want to spend more time in the small haven, but the abundance of shiny headstones is a strong deterrent. As they reach the top of a small hill, Katara recognizes an unexpected figure.

"Mr. King?"

The older man looks up in surprise. "Miss Katara? How unexpected."

"Yeah. What are you doing here?"

His expression grows solemn. "I am an old man. My peers began filling these dirt plots several years ago."

"I'm so sorry," Katara says sincerely. "That was a dumb question. Of course you're visiting someone."

"I hope you are not doing the same thing, my young friend." Iroh's light eyes look at her and the man who is now several feet past them.

"My brother and I are visiting our mother. She was killed many years ago."

"Ah, I am truly sorry for your loss."

The birds fill the silence once more. Katara stops next to Iroh and looks down at the grave. "Who was Lu Ten?"

"A remarkable young man. My son. Zuko's cousin." Katara's gasp is small but loud in the silence surrounding them. Her blue eyes fill with unexpected tears and she finds her hand reaching for the old man's.

"How did he die?"

"My son always wanted to grow up too quickly. Because of this his life took a dark turn and by the time he wanted to turn it around he was involved with dangerous people. They wouldn't let him change so he died trying."

"I'm so sorry, Iroh."

"Please don't be," he says unexpectedly. "Lu Ten wouldn't want sorrow at his grave. He'd want people to find happiness."

After another moment of quiet comeraderie by the young man's grave Iroh speaks again. "My nephew lost his mother too, you know." Katara looks up at Iroh with surprise. "He'd probably never tell you. But she left when he was still a boy. That is why he's so distrustful of people."

"I don't understand," Katara admits.

"You're mother died Miss Katara. Zuko's mother left. Where yours would have stayed, his chose to leave. The betrayal has left him unsure of people. Give him a few chances. He's loyal to the end, but you just have to give him a few chances."

Katara's surprise is compounded with sadness for the man she met last night. This new information both contrasts and explains him. Before she can say anything though, her phone rings. Embarrassed by its timing she quickly pulls it out and fumbles to recognize the caller ID.

"Excuse me," she mumbles to Iroh when she recognizes the unexpected caller. "Hello?"

"Hello Miss DelMar. This is Detective Jeong with the NYPD. I was wondering if you'd be willing to come to the precinct this afternoon."

Katara shifts the phone to her other ear nervously. "What's this about?"

"We're investigating a criminal who was involved in your assault from this past weekend."

"Did you find the man who robbed me?" she asks eagerly.

"No. I'm talking about Jet."

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><p>Attempted cliffhanger. we'll see if it's actually that exciting. reviews? no? okay. me neither.<p> 


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